Book Review: Doubleblind (Sirantha Jax #3) by Ann Aguirre

Doubleblind by Ann Aguirre
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a great follow on from Wanderlust (book 2).

I really enjoyed this. I think we saw different sides to a lot of the characters in this book than we have previously. Just through the nature of the story line we see a more restrained Jax; it was interesting to see her fight her impulsive nature and think before she speaks, even if it's out of necessity for the well being of the rest of the universe. I liked the way that this more thoughtful and held back version of herself was something that she almost became comfortable with, but when it really came down to doing what she needed for her people, this became a version of herself that she didn't like, and the impulsive nature wins out. I was curious to see what would happen with March in this book after his emotionless return, and what that would mean for the dynamic of the team. I liked the fact that the relationship between March and Jax didn't just disappear.

It was interesting to discover more about Vel and his past on Ithiss-Tor, and to be able to see him as more than just a bounty hunter that is good with technology. I wonder if we will get to see more of his 'quirks' on future books.

I was not expecting the twist at the end, and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on what comes next for these characters.

I highly recommend this series for sci-fi fans.

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Book Review: Wanderlust (Sirantha Jax #2) by Ann Aguirre

Wanderlust by Ann Aguirre
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this. It was a great continuation of the story line from book 1.

It was pleasing to see that the pacing issues of book one were not present here, with everything flowing smoothly and moving along at a good speed that you can keep up with. There was plenty of action, fast paced and well written making for one of those book that I couldn't put down. The characters were diverse in their personalities which came across well and they all seemed very individual. I'm looking forward to finding out more about some of the new faces that were introduced in this installment of the series.

I'm sure that the next book will be just as action packed and engaging as this one. I'm certainly intrigued how the relationship between Jax and March will develop after the events of this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next one. I highly recommend.

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Book Review: Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This series is out of this world amazing!

I really like how the story line has developed throughout this book, with the addition of of some new characters such as Blake, and the plot twists that come with him. I love the fact this book had a level of unpredictability to it, unlike most YA books which are fairly formulaic. This goes for both the plot and the relationship aspects. The relationship between Daemon and Katy is great, I like that they argue but keep coming back to each other no matter how angry they are, this is so much more interesting to read than the normal head over heel fluff most authors put out. I find it especially funny that the author, through Katy, reference the YA cliches.

I don't want to say to much, for fear of spoilers, but this is a fantastic read and I would highly recommend it.

Now my fingers may 'accidentally' slip and click over to Amazon, and book three may, again, 'accidentally' land in my basket......Whoops...

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Book Review: Alphas: Origins (Alphas #0.5) by Ilona Andrews

Short review for a short story.


Origins by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So basically you need to read this, for no other reason than that it has been written by the literary genius that is Ilona Andrews.

If for some bazaar reason, that isn't enough for you to just go and read it with out question, then I shall tell you more. I loved the concept behind this short story as well as how it all played out. As per usual with Ilona Andrews writing, this had fantastic, diverse characters, each with their own personalities. The writing it self is amazing. The world that has been built in this short short has so much potential for development into an awesome series. I would love to see more of these characters and this world.

Your life will be incomplete without this to add to your collection.

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Book Review: Alien Enemy Box Set by Ashley L. Hunt

Alien Enemy by Ashley L. Hunt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I got this box set of books from Instafreebie with no idea as to what to expect from them.

The first think that I would say is that would be better off being considered as a book, singular, rather than books plural, as it only tops out at 400 pages (100 pages per book approximately).

From what I can tell, this is the first thing that the author published (please do correct me if I'm wrong here), and I think it shows a bit. Now that's not to say that I didn't like and enjoy reading this, because I did. I think that the idea and concept behind the story is good and interesting, it just seemed to read more like a first draft to me. Reading this, I kept feeling like it could do with being fleshed out a little bit more. I also think that the lack of 'fleshy-i-ness' also created some pacing issues with the story; not enough for you to have no clue as to what is going on, but enough for it to take a second for you to catch up to where the characters are.

We first meet Luke's character, when he comes into the diner, where Candice is working, with the Carnival Of Lost Souls, and everything its set up in such a way that he could have been made to be very mysterious and the development of the attraction and relationship between Luke and Candice could have been a real slow burner and been amazing. I personally feel that everything between them went way too fast. From him walking into to diner, and them getting along and the relationship beginning seemed almost instantaneous. There was little to know build up, no getting to know each other stage. Now, it is entirely possible that this could be down to the pacing issues that I mentioned. I feel that there was a bit of a missed opportunity with this; you have this carnival that has come to town, where all it's members are not quite what they seem, and this could have been a really wondrous and mysterious setting, and it wasn't.

I would liked to have seen Luke perhaps have tot explain things a bit more to Candice, as she seemed to just except everything that was thrown at her, no questions asked. I would also liked to have found out some of Candice's back story, as it is implied that something happened or that she made some bad choices before coming back to Sun Valley for her Parents funeral. On the whole, I liked her character, even if she seems to accept that aliens form another galaxy exist (and that she is the key for of them in particular to be able to get back there to fight a war) a little too easily. I do have some mixed feelings about Luke's character. It's abundantly clear that he loves Candice, and yet he can be very demanding and controlling of her; it's like he's having mood swings that would give you whiplash. One minute I'd like him and the next not so much. I would like to have seen more of the other carnival members and found out more about them. I'm also not sure we ever found out why Luke was cursed in the first place, but maybe I'm just being forgetful.

For a (I think) first published works, this was pretty good. I do feel that it could be developed a little bit more in places, because this could have been absolutely fantastic. The actual concept was very original I think. As much as this did have it's flaws it's worth reading as a quick read. I do have a couple of other box sets by this author, that I am looking forward to reading. I think this author has the makings of a really awesome sci-fi writer, so I'll be watching this space.

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Book Review: The Tracker's Dilemma (Mandrake Company #6) by Ruby Lionsdrake

The Tracker's Dilemma by Ruby Lionsdrake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really liked this book, and was glad that we got to see Lauren and Tick get their own book, as they were two of the original characters. There was plenty of action in this book, along with with some light hearted humour. Perfect for sci-fi adventure lovers.

I have always liked Tick's character, and had hoped that we would get to hear his story at some point. I like his personality and think that he was a good, albeit interesting choice to pair with Lauren. I have never quite known what to make of Lauren's character, as we never really see that much of her, and when you do, she is not very good at social interaction. I felt that we got to understand her a lot more in this book, as well as see a slightly different side to her. It was nice to see that she does actually have a personality that extends beyond the Socially Awkward Workaholic Research Scientist. In This installment we also got to meet Lauren's sister, Hailey, who is the polar opposite to Lauren. It was interesting to see the relationship between the two sisters, and how Hailey's presence, again, brought out a different side to Lauren.

I'm sad that there are no plans for this series to continue as I would liked to have seen Striker get his own book. I'm curious to know if there is more to him than the obnoxious irritant to people everywhere side. I also think that it would be highly entertaining for him to find a woman that really puts him in his place, or someone that brings out a different/better side of him.

I have really enjoyed this series and would certainly recommend it to anyone that loves science fiction with a great adventure and a touch of romance thrown in.

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Book Review: The Pirate Captain's Daughter (Mandrake Company #5.5) by Ruby Lionsdrake

The Pirate Captain's Daughter by Ruby Lionsdrake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For a short story/novella this was a pretty decent length. More than I was expecting in fact.

I thought that this was a really good way to explain the background of a secondary (very secondary) character. Marat Azarov appeared in the previous book but you never found out how he became part of the company, so I feel that putting him in a novella was a good way of explaining this without it seeming out of place. I like his character, that he seems, for lack of a better word, more decent than some of the other mercenaries. I like the way his relationship developed with Ying. She was a great character, and I hope we get to see a bit more of her in the next book.

This was a fun short story, that is a great addition to the series. I would totally recommend reading this, especially if you have kept up with the series so far. Very enjoyable.

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Book Review: Mercenary Courage (Mandrake Company #5) by Ruby Lionsdrake

Mercenary Courage by Ruby Lionsdrake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am really happy that we got to see more of Viktor and Anakari in this installment of the series.

This was another fast paced and action packed adventure, mainly due to Ankari's schemes and plans. I liked that we got to see more of her and Viktor together as the main characters of the story, as we have only really had glimpses and mentions of then in the books since Mercenary Instinct (book 1) when they met. I love they way that they play off each other, and the way that she brings out a softer side to him. I think that they have, as with all the characters, a really good dialogue that adds a layer of humour to the story as well as adding another dimension to the characters.

It was also nice to see some of the other original characters, such as Jamie, and to see how her character has developed since having her own story. I also look forward to perhaps find out more about the new character that is Azarov, as we only know that he is a new member of the company.

I'm really enjoying this series and would completely recommend this to any science fiction lover.

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Book Review: The Ruins of Karzelek (Mandrake Company #4) by Ruby Lionsdrake

The Ruins of Karzelek by Ruby Lionsdrake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was another fantastic installment in this wonderful series.

This had action right from the start. As per usual, well written and really gripping. I was completely drawn into the story and could not put it down. This was really fast paced, with lots of explosions and plenty of humour that carried you through the book.

This installment brought back some of the other mercenary characters, such as Tick, Striker, Val and Thatcher, but it really focused on Sedgwick Thomlin, Mandrake Company's Intelligence Officer. I really liked his character; I like that he has imperfections and quirks, as it is unusual to have the hero/male love interest be anything but the perfect stereotypical alpha male character. I like how there is a range of personality types among the mercenary characters, that all work well together and have a good chemistry. Kalish and her mother and sister were new characters that we were introduced to in this story, Kalish being the main focus. She has a personality very similar to Ankari, although I think that she is less witty than Ankari is and takes herself a little bit more seriously. I liked her character and think that she complimented Thomlin well.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend this series to science fiction lovers with a sense of adventure.

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Book Review: The Assassin's Salvation (Mandrake Company #3) by Ruby Lionsdrake

The Assassin's Salvation by Ruby Lionsdrake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So the Mandrake Company series is my latest binge read (I'm already on book 5 by the time I'm writing this) and I'm loving it.

I like that this book has gone back to focus on one of the original characters from Mercenary Instinct (book 1). Jamie Flipkens is the engineer/pilot for Ankari's medical company. So far in the series we have only got to see her as the young and inexperienced one of the group, so it was nice that we hot to know her character better and see her develop in this installment of the series. We were also introduced to a new character as the hero and Jamie's love interest. Sergei, assassin and former crew member of the Mandrake Company. I like that his character is very different and more resigned and discreet than the personalities of the other mercenary characters. I like that he doesn't fit in the stereotypical mold of the assassin role, and that the reality is different form he initial expectation.

I love that this series has a really diverse range of different types of characters; this coupled with the great writing style and story lines really makes for a very dynamic and gripping series. You get completely drawn into the books and really care for the characters. Once you pick this up you will not want to put it down. This was another fantastic action packed sci-fi adventure, with a touch of humour thrown in.

I highly recommend this series.

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Book Review: Trial and Temptation (Mandrake Company #2) by Ruby Lionsdrake

Trial and Temptation by Ruby Lionsdrake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What is not to love about this book??

This was another fun and action packed sci-fi adventure. Well written, it grabs you right from the start and takes you on this fast paced mission, with some awesome characters for company. I liked that this book focused on a different member of the Mandrake Company crew. Although we were introduced to some of them in the previous book, we didn't really get a chance to really get to know them. I think that Thatcher was a great character, especially with his social awkwardness. I thought that it made a nice change for the leading male love interest, to not be particularly comfortable or confident when it came to women, and for him to not be good in social situations. I thought that this really showed off the diversity among the characters. I also loved Val's characters, and feel that her character made a good contrast to Thatcher's. The combination of her confidence and Thatcher's difficulty in social issues, provided some good comedy moments.

This story had a really divers range of settings and characters, and each were created with their own individual feel to them. The writing overall had a great flow, and it never felt like the romance side of the story took over from the plot. I would highly recommend this to any science fiction lover; especially if you like a bit of romance thrown in. However I would suggest reading this series in order, as you'll have a better understanding of the world that this is set in, as well as some of the references made to the first book.

A really fun read!

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Book Review: Mercenary Instinct (Mandrake Company #1) by Ruby Lionsdrake

Mercenary Instinct by Ruby Lionsdrake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really loved this book! Although that was pretty much a given when you consider that it's written by Lindsay Buroker using a different name.

This was a fantastic fast paced sci-fi story, that had a great sense of humour and an easy flow to it. You get completely immersed in what is going on as the plot, and characters are so engaging. I love how the different personalities interact with each other. I think that having some serious characters and some more sarcastic/quirky characters is a good mix and creates plenty of opportunities for comedy moments (none of which were missed). I loved how the relation ship between Ankari and Viktor developed as well as the chemistry between them. I hope we get to see more of them together in future books. The other girls on Ankari's team are also really interesting and quirky characters.

I really enjoyed the world (worlds? They do visit more than one...) Everything is so well written, you can build a really clear image in your mind as to what these far flung places look like, and they they each have a different atmosphere to them.

This truly is a really great and fun read that I would highly recommend t anyone that loves a science fiction story with a little bit of humour and romance throw in.

I can't wait for the next one!

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Book Review: The Circuit: Executor Rising by Rhett C. Bruno

The Circuit: Executor Rising by Rhett C. Bruno
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

So I got this as a free download on an Instafreebie email. I didn't really know what to expect going into this, but I am a sci-fi lover so thought I would give it a go.

This is the first 2 star review I have given in a long time; I so wanted to be able to give this 3 stars, as I was reading I was prying that things would get better but they didn't.

This book had all the right elements and could have been amazing, but to me it felt as though all the chapters were in the wrong order:

The book 'blurb' sets up the world that this is suppose to be, and says that Sage Volus is going to be the one to fix it with the aid of Talon Rayne. To me, this implies that these are the main characters of the book, however you have to get nearly a third of the way through before even meeting either of them, and the journey of them meeting and working together only lasts for a few chapters in the middle of the story. If it were up to me, I would make the chapter that we meet sage in Chapter 1, and then within the next couple of chapters introduce Talon. As it is, the first third of the book focuses on the character of Cassius Vale and his 'mission'. This then, in my opinion makes the whole point of the story moot, as within the first 2 chapters the mystery part of the story, the bit that should be uncovered by our 2 main characters is revealed to us. Because of this the book has no flow or real point to it. Rather than having a story that runs alone the lines of:

Introduce main characters (Sage and Talon) - event that puts sage in place to meet Talon - They meet, end up agreeing to work together, form a team, set off on a mission, all the while trying to figure out who is behind it all (which we learn at the same rate they do, so you have a reason to keep reading,) - They figure it out - there's a battle of some sort - resolution to the story (plus potential set up for next book)

We really get:

Loads of time with the bad guy - little bit of time with who are meant to be the main characters - main characters go their separate ways - lots more time with the bad guy but not for any particular reason.

To me this really had no natural flow to it. As well as this the meeting between Sage and Talon, shows that they are immediately captivated by each other and et this relationship never goes anywhere; which I feel was a shame because it was set up so well. I can't get over that fact that no chemistry was developed between the two of them. And I don't think this is because the author can't write relationships, because he can. I thought that relationship he created between Talon and his daughter was incredibly well written and was very believable, as were the relationships between talon and his friends.

I also felt that there was too little explanation as to how humanity got to be where it is at in this story and not enough explanation about the different things such as the Gravitum element. I can take a guess and say that it has something to do with gravity, but I'm still not sure even after reading the book. I also felt that the Cassius and ADIM chapters were slow, which is unfortunate as they made up the majority of the book.

In summary, I feel that this book had a lot of potential, but it didn't deliver. There was to little backstory to set up the world and therefore you never fully understand the reasoning or importance of the events that are taking place. I don't feel that the story had a natural flow to it and the character relationships could have been developed more. I honestly feel that this book could be much improved by reordering what is already there, adding in some backstory and description and also by developing the characters and their relationships.

I really wanted this book to improve as I read it so I could give a higher rating, but I was left disappointed. Unfortunately I don't think I will be getting the next one to see if these issues have been resolved.

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Book Review: Grimspace (Sirantha Jax #1) by Ann Aguirre

Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I didn't know what to expect when I started this book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This story is set in a really interesting world with a great cast of characters. We get plenty of action and snarky humour right from the start that draws you in and promises a fun and eventful ride. I really liked the chemistry between all the characters, especially Jax and March. These characters clearly all have backstories to be developed and explored in later books. The dialogue between them really brings them to life and showcases the different personalities.

This was a really fast paced book; sometimes so fast it was hard to keep up. There were certainly some issues with pacing at certain points in the book, that sometimes left you confused, albeit briefly. these moments were few and far between and I don't think that they detracted from the overall story as you could fairly quickly overcome the confusion and get yourself back on track in terms of the timeline.

This looks to be a very promising series, and I really look forward to reading the next one. I would totally recommend this to anyone that loves a good Sci-Fi story with a little bit of romance thrown in, but not so much that it overtakes the rest of the plot line. A good match for fans of Firefly I think.

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